After stints in bands in his native Canada, then as a star of the Electroclash scene, in 2004, Gonzales released Solo Piano. A delicate and quite album of piano instrumentals that drew comparison between the Canadian and famed pianists like Erik Satie, Debussy and Chopin, it became his most popular and best selling album. It was enlived by Chilly's sense of humour, joy, silliness and the strength of his compositional skills, especially when performed live.

Then in December 2011 he moved his piano into Paris' Studio Pigalle, and over ten days recorded a follow up.

Chilly Gonzales Solo Piano II - Piano Vision Medley

Real Life is a new project, formed mysteriously, little information, just a phone number and a youtube video. But its a beautiful video, directed by Rollo Jackson, who's Tape Crackers film was about a guy who'd collected a house full of home recorded Jungle mixes off of pirate radio.

It's an apt starting point for the music of Real Life, who slip into that post-jungalist, post-dubstep, coming home, sub-bass in your ear, softly hushed prose-poems about going out, wine and weed, coming home, chip shops, the dislocation of walking down the high-street, walking past every one else's night out, then slinking off home on a nightbus.

We've unfortunately got to report the sad news that Peter Hayes, the drummer of Echo Lake, has passed away. At just 25, and having just released their debut record on No Pain In Pop it's an incredibly sad loss for the world of music, as it's shaping up to be one of the records of the year. The band have written a more fitting tribute than I could come up with on their Facebook.

Echo Lake - "Even The Blind"